Training/Weight Loss advice needed

Jimi-Spandex

Hey, apologies if ye get these sort of posts all the time but I was wondering if I could get some advice on my change in routine and if ye could give me pointers etc.

I recently joined a gym and changed my eating habits for the purposes of losing weight mostly but also for fitness. I'll try and give as much info as possible

Height: 5'10
Weight:~215 lbs
Age: 21
Fitness: Completely and utterly unfit, and a smoker. If my sig hadn't given that away already.


Monday
45 min Cardio - Usually Combination of bike/run/rowing/cross trainer. I tend to mix things up a bit.
Weights Circuit - This was some program set out by the ppl at my gym for me, tis just some beginners program. Leg Press/Curl/Ab Dealy/Chest Press/Seated Row/Torso Rotation/
Tuesday
30 min swim + 25 min Run
Wednesday - Same as monday
Thursday - Same as Tue
Friday - Same as Monday/Wednesday
Saturday - Rest, though may have a game of football with the lads or something
Sunday - Same as Tuesday/Thursday.

My diet would generally be(since the change)
Breakfast - Orange Juice, Bowl of Muesli w skimmed milk
Lunch - (2 pieces of fruit + 0% fat yoghurt) or Soup w wholemeal bread
Dinner - Whatever the ma cooks but usually it's pretty healty. If i cook myself its usually pasta+tuna.
Snack- More yoghurt or a nutrigrain bar or something

Oh and 6-10 pints per week(Gradually being reduced)
I don't eat after 830pm.

I haven't set any particular goal for myself tbh. I know that one would be handy but I am weighing myself regularly and keeping a diary. I really don't know what a realistic target would be, any suggestions? Another reason for me not setting a target is that I'm more interested in changing my habits, I've tried weightloss before and have been moderately successful, it's something permenant I want as I've Oprah'd after a few different programs.


Thanks in advance.

Mr E

Looks good to me, jimi.

One criticism would be that you say you are completely unfit, yet you are training 6 days a week. I think you're overtraining..... Separate the weights work and the cardio work - don't do both in the same session. I'd say do two weights sessions a week and 2 cardio sessions a week. If you really feel you need to do a fifth day, do your swim on that day.

Are you posting because you aren't making any progress? How are you getting on so far?

drdre

man that really good. i also joined the gym and am really unfit but i have to say you are on the ball and good luck you will do really really well if you keep up this this training and diet.

Jimi-Spandex

cheers for the encouragement lads .

I've only been on it for less than a month but I just wanted to see if there's something I could be doing better/different

As for the unfitness, not as bad as when I started, i kind of eased myself into the cardio stuff, didn't want to upset my tempermental lungs. Noticed a pretty decent improvement so far. Prior to this I haven't really had any proper exercise in a few years, would find a simple kickabout in the park very strenuous.

Haven't shifted much weight though. I know it's possible that some of it is going back on as muscle. I've a big gut also, will doing more ab work help with that? Got a lot of fat on the stomach/hips, anything I can do to help shift that?

As for overtraining, I can see where you're coming from, I guess I've probably been a bit overzealous to begin with and have found myself quite fatigued alot of the time. I might just shift more of the cardio stuff to the tue/thu/sun.

Thanks again

Farls

First off all, good start man...its the hardest part!

Secondly....quit the smokes, if not for your sake, then for the people around you, i have little or no time for smokers.

Thirdly your routine seems a bit too intense for what your looking for. TmB's advice is very good. If its just weight loss you want then focus on cardio and just do light weights doing 3 sets with 12 - 15 reps each.

Swim

Farlz

//edit

Just seen your other post there. For loosing the extra weight round the stomach/hips do lots of running and use the cross trainers. Doing sit-ups won't shift fat as such, you need to really burn it off.